Apparatus for delivering articles through a partition



J. W. HUGHES. APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING ARTICLES THROUGH A PARTITION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I8, I915.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

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m IHIQMLN @I. rg 2 w m S M WITNESSES INVENTOR J. W; HUGHES. APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING ARTICLES THROUGH A PARTITION.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIB, I9I5.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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JAMES VT; HUGHES, 0F HADDON HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HUGHES- LIPPINCQTT COMPANY, A CGRPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR- DELIVEBIING ARTICLES THROUGH A PARTITION.

Application filed May 18,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES lV. HUGHES, a resident of Haddon Heights, county of Camden, State of New Jersey, (whose postoliice address is 319 Third avenue, in said Haddon Heights,) have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Delivering Articles Through a Partition, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for delivering articles through a partition, and has for an object to provide a new and improved mechanism that will transfer any article regardless of form or shape (when placed in the apparatus and operated) from one side of the partition to the other'without leaving open to access the opening through. which the apparatus operates during any period of the operation. It has for a further object to provide a means for delivering as many articles as may be desired from one side of a partition to the other, through an opening as above mentioned, by simply repeating the operation--each operation automatically depositing gently the contents put into the apparatus from one side of the partition to the other, beyond the access of the operator delivering the goods, or any succeeding operator or deliverer who may follow. It has for another object to provide a means to always keep the opening closed to the weather conditions, whether being operated or standing still. While this particular featureis by no means hard to accomplish by itself, it involves some ingenuity and originality to accomplish along with the above and other improved features as will be seen. It has for another object to provide ameans for signaling by hell, or other sound, when articles or packages are being delivered and a further signal to denote whether the apparatus has been fully operated or closed. It has for a further ob ject to provide means to prevent a succeeding operator from opening the apparatus when a preceding operator has failed to fully operate the mechanism when delivering his goods. This is accomplished by a mechanism that compels the succeeding operator to complete the unfinished operation of delivering the previous goods Specification of Letters Patent.

1915. Serial No. 28,987.

before the apparatus can be opened again. for a succeeding delivery, thereby prevent ng any succeeding operator from obtaining any articles placed in the apparatus a preceding person and not fully dellvered. vide a means to make it easy and convenient to secure the apparatus into, or remove it from an ordinary window or like opening at will as desired.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will be more fully understood from the description hereinafter,

the invention consists in the novel construction of a delivery mechanism to be used chlefly in the window or other openings through the wall for receiving packages, etc, from delivery men whether the occupants happen to be in or not.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a sectional plan of the delivery apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 represents a sectional elevation of same; Fig. 3 represents a sectional plan of apparatus partly closed, showing action of. mechanism; Fig. l represents a sectional elevation of same; Fig. 5 plan of apparatus completely closed and contents discharged; Fig. 6 represents an end view or outside elevation; Fig. 7 repre sents an end view modification of the apparatus; Fig. 8 represents an enlarged plan view of pawl and ratchet bar hereinafter referred to; Fig. 9 represents enlarged plan view of cam and cam pin for operating sweep vane referred to farther on; and Fig. 9 is an elevation thereof.

1 designates a drawer casing with a flanged front 2, made in this particular case to fit into an ordinary window frame, being inserted into same by bending hinged joint 3 of leaf 4 inward until outer edges of 2 and 4 pass into window grooves on either side, when the leaf is then straightened out forcing the outer edges like a toggle joint firmly into the window ambs when the fastening 5 is clasped or screwed fast. 6 designates a drawer which operates within casing 1. 7 designates a sweep vane pivoted in and to the drawer 6 and designed to sweep the articles sidewise from the drawer 6 when same Patented. nee. 21, 1920.

It has for a further object to proshows sectional is closed. 8 designates a lever attached to sweep vane 7. 9 designates a cam pin in lever 8. 10 designates a fixed cam track in which the pin 9 runs and operates the sweep vane 7, said cam track secured to the under side of and top board attached to the casing 1'. 11 designates a shelf for receiving the articles delivered, said shelf being on a level with bottom of drawer 6. 12 designates an outside door serving a double purpose as hereinafter described, and 13 refers to hinge of same. 14 designates a lid hinged to the top board 15 of casing 1 above drawer 6. 16 designates a ratchet runner on bottom of drawer 6. 17 designates a spring pawl which operates in ratchet teeth on runner 16. 18 designates a pin for throwing out and disengaging the pawl 17 when the drawer 6 has been pushed all the way in. 19 designates a trip pin for throwing pawl 17 into engagement with 16 when drawer 6 has been pulled all the way out. 20 designates the receiving compartment of the apparatus into which the articles to be delivered are placed. 21 designates a com partment provided for returned articles such as empty milk bottles, etc. 22 shows a compartment formed by the surplus of the drawer necessary to hold drawer intact when same is drawn all the way out, which may be used to a'limited degree under certain conditions if so desired. 23 shows an opening in side of drawer 6. 24 represents an opening in side of casing 1.

The new and novel features of the device will be clearly understood by a careful study of the following description of the operation of the apparatus. When it is desired to deliver a package or an article, say as a point of illustration into a dwelling house from the outside, door 12 is opened to a perpendicular position as shown in Fig. 1 and the drawer 6 is drawn out all the way. The lid 1 1 attached to drawer 6 is then opened to the vertical position as shown and the articles for delivery are placed into compartment 20. When the lid 1a is closed and the drawer shoved in the cam pin 9 traveling along the cam track 10 causes the sweep vane "(to sweep the articles out through the side opening 23 in drawer 6' and through 2 1 in casing 1 and on to shelf '11 as shown complete inFig. 5.

hen the drawer is partly closed, as shown in Fig. 8, and the articles are being swept off, it is clear to be seen that should some one attemptto open the drawer or pull it bacl rward before the cycle is finished, if

provisions were not made to avoid this, the goods might not only be taken out of the drawer but the reverse action might also crush and destroy the articles by catching them between the edges of the openings and 2 1 of the drawer and casing respectively.

To avoid such an action I have provided a pawl 17 which operates in the ratchet runner 16 until the drawer 6 is pushed all the way in, when the pin 18 passing under the pawl 17 throws the pawl out of the ratchet 16 as shown, the same being held out by the action of the leaf spring on same pressing on the reverse side of hump on pawl as shown in Fig. 5. This permits the drawer to be again drawn out to position shown in Fig. 1, but when the drawer is again drawn out the pin 19 strikes the upper prong of pawl 17 after, the ratchet teeth have passed said pawl, thus putting the pawl in an active position to engage the teeth as before when the drawer is closed.

It will be noted that the door 12, when open, forms a closing side to the opening 23 in (llZLWGI 6 when the drawer is all the way out, and acts as a double bar against rain, wind, storm, etc, when the apparatus is closed. It must also be noted that drawer 6 cannot be pushed in until the lid 14 is closed down, thus avoiding any opportunity to the operator of reaching through the opening, which would be otherwise afforded when the drawer is in the position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4t.

Further attention is called to the bells 25 and 26one of which rings when the pawl 17 is thrown outdenoting that the drawer has just been closed, and the other rings when the pawl is thrown in denoting that the drawer is just being opened.

It must be borne in mind that I do not means to confine myself to any particular form of mechanism for. sweeping or delivering the articles from the compartment as represented at 20 Figs. 1 to 5, as this can be accomplished in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. l/Vhile in the construction shown in Figs.

1 to 6, inclusive, the floor of the drawer 1 is shown as horizontal, in Fig. 7, it is indicated as inclined, so that I do not strictly limit myself to the flare being horizontal. Attention is also called to the novel way in which the apparatus is inserted into the window, as described above, which enables one to install the apparatus with the least amount of cost and preparation.

Having thus described my invention it will now be apparent that I have made new and useful improvements in the apparatus as described above, and what I desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. An apparatus for delivering articles through an opening in a partition, comprising a partition having an opening, a container mounted to operate through the opening, in the partition and having a solid bottom over which the articles are laterally discharged, automatic means for laterally discharging the articles and a fixed support ex tending laterally relatively to the container on the delivery side of partition for receiv ing the discharged articles and preventing them from falling.

2. in apparatus for, delivering articles through. an opening in a partition, comprising a partition having an opening, a receiving container mounted to operate through said opening in the partition, and means for discharging contents 01 said container through an opening in the side of said container as it passes beyond the partition, said means comprising a cam, a pivoted arm, and means on the arm engaging the cam.

3. An apparatus for delivering articles through an opening in a partition, comprising a partition having an opening, a receiving container having solid bottom and mounted to operate through said opening in the partition, a sweep movable laterally over the container bottom to discharge said container when its contents have been passed through said opening in the partition, and a lateral support for receiving the contents when discharged from the container.

4. An apparatus for delivering articles from one space to another divided by a partition, comprised of a partition having an opening, a container mounted to operate through the opening in said. partition, and automatic means actuated by the container for discharging its contents laterally as said container passes from one space to the other through the opening in said partition.

An apparatus of the character stated, consisting of a partition having an opening, a container having a fixed bottom and adapted to be moved from one space to another through the opening in the partition, means carried with the above the fixed bottom to discharge the contents laterally from one side of the container when it passes from one side of the partition to the other, automatic means for operating the discharging means, and a support to one side of the container for receiving the contents when discharged.

6. An apparatus of the character stated, consisting of a partition having an opening, a container mounted to pass from one space to another through the opening in the partition and having a side discharging opening, pivoted sweep for discharging the contents of the container through the side opening thereof, and means to automatically operate the sweep when the container is moved through the opening in the partition.

7. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising a partition having an opening, a container having a solid bottom and a discharge opening in the side for discharging the contents thereof said container mounted to pass from one space to another through tie opening in the partition, means for discharging the contents of the container through said side opening therein, and

container and movable,

means for permitting a full movement of the container for receiving the goods and for preventing a withdrawal action from an intermediate position in the act of delivering the contents beyond the partition.

8. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising a partition having an opening, a container mounted to operate through the opening in the partition, with means for discharging the contents of the container when .it passes through the opening in said partition, and means for permitting a full movement of the container for receiving the goods and for preventing a withdrawal action from an intermediate position in the act of delivering the contents beyond the partition.

9. In an apparatus of the character stated, a detachable partition adapted to a window frame and provided with an opening and also with a casing attached thereto at one side of the opening, a drawer shaped container adapted to the casing and arranged to slide through the aperture of the partition said container open at one side for a portion of its length, a sweep vane hinged to the container adjacent to one side of its opening and adapted to sweep the contents laterally to one side oi the container and out of the casing, cam devices arranged upon one side of the partition, and means secured to the sweep vane for coiiperation with the cam devices to automatically operate the vane when the container is moved through the aperture and into the casing.

10. An apparatus of the character stated, connprising a window frame having side sash guides, a detachable partition and easing adapted to fit into guides of the window frame, a container constructed to operate through an opening in said partition, and laterally acting means for discharging the container when same passes through the I opening in said partition.

11. In an apparatus of the character stated, a window frame, combined with a partition detachably fitted thereto and having an opening, a container movable through said opening and automatic discharging means movable with the container and operative when the container is being moved through the opening in said partition.

12. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising a window having a partition formedwith an opening, a container adapted to be moved through the opening and guided thereby, suitable guiding means on one side of the partition for supporting and guiding the container, and automatic means movable with the container for discharging the contents of the container laterally therefrom when the container is moved through the opening.

13. An apparatus of the character stated, comprising a window having a partition formed with an opening, a container adapted to be moved through the opening and guided thereby, suitable guiding means on one side 01? the partition for supporting and guiding the container, and automatic means movable with the container for discharging the contents of the container laterally therefrom when the container is moved through the opening and means to prevent a Withdrawal of the container through the opening in the partition in one direction after it has been 10 moved to an intermediate position in its movement in the other direction.

' JAMES WV. HUGHES.

Witnesses:

LESLIE J. SHEFLEY, G; vV. SLEMMER. 

